Electronic devices such as portable cellular telephones are known in the art, one example being described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,772 (Holcomb et al). As is known, these devices typically utilize an extending antenna of metallic material (e.g., aluminum), and, in more recent versions, may include a flexible rubber or similar outer protective material should flexibility of the antenna be desired. Typically, metallic (e.g., aluminum) types of antennas of the telescoping type are non-flexible in nature.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,772, such cellular telephones of the portable variety typically include an elongated housing necessary to effectively separate the microphone and speaker portions for the phone user. Alternatively, other recent versions of such cellular telephones have utilized a foldable housing to thus assure, like the aforementioned fixed elongated housing in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,772, appropriate spacing between the speaker and microphone portions to allow for effective phone usage. In such foldable phones, it has been typically necessary to also extend an antenna (e.g., of the telescopic variety) a predetermined distance from the housing, in addition to unfolding the housing to the desired length.
In either case, it has heretofore been necessary to either provide a housing of substantial length or requiring folding or similar treatment in order to effectively operate the cellular telephone.
It is believed, that an electronic device, particularly a portable cellular telephone, as defined herein, which is capable of overcoming the above-cited disadvantages of known such devices, would constitute a significant advancement in the art.